KENNESAW, GA | Aug 18, 2026

Kennesaw State University's Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, Karen McDonnell, recently served as a presenter for the CUPA-HR webinar, Rightsizing the Workforce: Strategic Workforce Planning With CUPA-HR Data. Karen was joined by Melissa Fuesting, Ph.D., Associate Director of Research at CUPA-HR, and Kristi Yowell, Chief People and Culture Officer and Associate Vice President for Human Resources at Loyola University Maryland, to share insights on workforce planning in higher education.

Hosted by CUPA-HR, the leading professional association for higher education HR professionals, the webinar explored how institutions can assess whether workforce size aligns with budget realities, strategic priorities, and institutional missions. Drawing on real-world experiences from Kennesaw State University and Loyola University Maryland, the presenters discussed how data-informed decision-making can support strategic workforce planning and organizational effectiveness.

"Strategic workforce planning is about ensuring our people, resources, and institutional priorities remain aligned," said McDonnell. "By leveraging data and thoughtful analysis, higher education leaders can make informed decisions that support both operational excellence and the long-term success of their institutions."

Attendees gained practical insights into leveraging CUPA-HR's DataOnDemand resources, evaluating workforce needs, and developing recommendations that help institutions navigate change while continuing to support their missions and future goals.

The webinar reflects Kennesaw State University's growing leadership in strategic workforce planning within higher education. Building on the success of the session, Karen McDonnell has been invited to present this work again at the National CUPA-HR Conference in Philadelphia in October 2026, where she will share KSU's approach and lessons learned with HR leaders from colleges and universities across the country.